Where does “symmetry” come from?

Symmetry comes from Latin symmetria, from Ancient Greek συμμετρία, combining the prefix συν- (syn-, "together") with μέτρον (métron, "measure"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "same" and "measure."

symmetry (English): Exact correspondence on either side of a dividing...

Definitions

  1. Exact correspondence on either side of a dividing...

Ancestry of “symmetry”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsymmetriasymmetry, proportion
2Ancient Greekσυμμετρίαcommensurability; symmetry, due proportion; a...
3Ancient Greekσύμμετροςsymmetrical
4Ancient Greekμέτρονsomething used to measure: measure, rule, weight;...
5Ancient Greek-τρονForms instrument nouns
6Proto-Hellenic-tronForms instrument nouns from verb stems
7Proto-Indo-European-tromForms nouns denoting a tool or instrument

Words derived from “symmetry

Every word from Proto-Indo-European -tromEvery word from Ancient Greek -τρονEvery word from Ancient Greek μέτρον